Massachusetts Department of Public Health,through a competitive process of selecting applicants from a three year previous funding cycle, funded 8 school districts which were required to each seek 6 to 8 school districts, and provide technical assistance and coordination to these school districts. The goal of the ESHSC program was to use the 8 school districts which had developed model school health programs to assist the 6-8 recipient school districts in developing comprehensive school health services. The broad goal was to create and expand the enhanced school health services model throughout the state through the development of high quality school health service programs designed to address the complex and diverse health needs of school children. Nursing Leaders representative of the ESHSC program will present the challenges and "first steps" of "offering" consultation services to school nurses and their school districts. Nursing Leaders will share the uniqueness of each of their programs and provide tools for success of implementation. We will demonstrate how peer support of school nurses can result in implementation of standards of care within their school districts. It empowers both the consulting and the recipient school nursing leaders as they develop their management and program implementation skills. At the time of presentation, the initial ESHSC program will have completed three years. Due to the Tobacco Settlement, additional funds will increase the number of consultation school districts.
Learning Objectives: 1. To identify essential components for provision of consultation to other school districts with a lead school district as the consultant. 2. To describe a process of decreasing the isolation prevalent in school health through mentoring from school nurse colleagues. 3. To acquire the data collection tools needed for implementation and sustainability of a consultation program
Keywords: School Health, Tobacco Settlement
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Massachusetts Department of Public Health
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.